Six Signs of Trouble <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every true believer fears the removal of God\u2019s presence and\npower. David prayed, \u201cTake not thy Spirit from me.\u201d Paul feared that, \u201cwhile\npreaching to others, I might become a castaway.\u201d My thoughts are that this\ncondition is manifested in the following ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. We begin to experience no blessing nor benefit from the\nreading or preaching of the Word. When the Word ceases to convict,\nrebuke, burn in my heart, and cause me to rejoice in Christ, then God is not\nspeaking to me; for God speaks through his Word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. We are in trouble when we feel satisfied with our spiritual\nprogress and become puffed up with knowledge. We become authorities instead of\nlearners; having arrived, our humble spirit is in creed alone, not experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. We can be absent from the fellowship of believers and worship\nof the Lord without feeling a great loss and an empty heart. A man who can be\nwarmed by his own fire is either dead or dying spiritually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. We begin to be critics and find fault with others. The Spirit\nof God leads a man to feel that he is \u201cless than the least,\u201d \u201cchief of\nsinners.\u201d When the Spirit of God is not present, we become judges and\nfault-finders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. When our souls are not vexed by the sin within us and the\nconversation of men about us, when we can feel comfortable in the presence of\nthose who never knew our God, when we can conform to the ways of natural men\nand the trend of materialism, the light of God is dim or extinguished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. When our thoughts become self-centred and the general\nwelfare, well-being, and joy of others is of no great concern to us, we are\ncertainly not motivated by the Spirit of God. Selfishness, like\nself-righteousness, is not of God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The heart filled with God\u2019s love and grace dwells on others; to\nmake them happy is to be happy. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Henry Mahan<\/p>\n\n\n\n How to Avoid Times of Depression<\/p>\n\n\n\n But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith,\npraying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the\nmercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. – Jude 1:20-21<\/p>\n\n\n\n Someone asked, “How can I avoid these times\nof depression, indifference, and bad attitude toward others?” First, there\nis no perfection in the flesh! While we do not approve of our infirmities,\nfailures, evil thoughts, or backslidings, we are, nevertheless, aware of their\nsource; the flesh. And, because of that, we are also aware of the fact that\nthis conflict and warfare will be with us until death. However, the next time\nyou are plagued with coldness of spirit, prolonged bad attitude, and a worldly\nspirit, check and see if you are not neglecting the means of grace and your\nfellowship with Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I find that when I am walking with Christ in sweet\ncommunion, frequently engaging in private prayer, participating in worship\nservices and Bible study, and reading the Word of God, it is easier to forgive\nothers, easier to overcome pride, envy, and jealousy, and I am less interested\nin material things and more interested in that which is of the Spirit. But if I\nneglect these means of grace I suddenly become more interested in those things\nwhich I really despise and begin acting in a way that is not glorifying to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If we will learn the power of his precious blood,\ndwell in him, feed upon his Word, and seek to occupy our thoughts with his\ngracious presence, then we will see our tempers controlled, our hearts filled\nwith love for him and others, and our feet and hands swift to do works of faith\nand laborus of love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Henry Mahan<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lord, save us and we will be saved. Call us and we will come.\nSpeak to us and we will listen. Feed us and we will be fed. You have started\nthe work; You must finish it. We are completely at Your mercy. We are the work\nof Your hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n ~Gabe Stalnaker<\/p>\n\n\n\n WHAT DO I DO NOW? <\/p>\n\n\n\n What do I do when I am under severe trial, enduring pain \nof body and mind, and am full of fear? <\/p>\n\n\n\n What do I do when dying seems to be easier than living with\nthe circumstances the Lord has <\/p>\n\n\n\n given me? <\/p>\n\n\n\n The answer for the believer is simple: do the same things\nyou do when the Lord blesses you: worship publicly, pray, and read God\u2019s\nWord. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What do I do when I don\u2019t understand what God is doing or\nhow He could possibly bring good out of my <\/p>\n\n\n\n painful situation? Go to the house of the Lord in the\npublic worship service just like you do when the Lord blesses\nyou. \u201cWhen I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; until\nI went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.\u201d\n(Psalm 73:16-17) <\/p>\n\n\n\n What do I do when I am so full of fear? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Trust the Lord just like you do when the Lord blesses you.\n\u201cWhat time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.\u201d (Psalm 56:3) <\/p>\n\n\n\n What do I do when I feel hopeless and helpless? Look to\nChrist just like you do when the Lord blesses you. \u201cI will lift up mine\neyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.\u201d (Psalm 121:1) <\/p>\n\n\n\n What do I do when I don\u2019t think I have the strength to\nendure for one more minute? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Trust the Lord to be your strength. \u201cI will seek that which\nwas lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind\nup that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick.\u201d\n(Ezek. 34:16) <\/p>\n\n\n\n No matter what our circumstances may be at the moment, let\nus say with David, \u201cI will bless the LORD at all <\/p>\n\n\n\n times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.\u201d\n(Psalm 34:1) \n \n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pastor Frank Tate <\/p>\n\n\n\n A BELIEVER\u2019S ATTITUDE TOWARD SIN<\/p>\n\n\n\n He knows and rejoices\nthat all of his sin and sins are pardoned, paid for, and put away by the\nsacrifice of Christ the Lord. He condemns sin in himself! While sin\ndoes not reign it does remain in the believer, but he does not excuse or\njustify it. He grieves over it and daily confesses his sins before God. \nHe hates a bad attitude as much as evil actions. He judges his motives as\nwell as his manner by the holiness of Christ; and, when he finds iniquity in\nhimself, he despises it and judges himself. \u201cO wretched man that I am!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He forgives sin in\nothers! He does not forgive himself \u2013 only God can do that –\n but he is quick to pity, have mercy upon, and forgive others. Not\nto be able to forgive is to forfeit the right to ask forgiveness. He\nlongs to be free from all sin and to be perfectly conformed to the image of\nChrist. While he rejoices in Christ, is content with his lot, and finds\njoy in the fellowship of Christ\u2019s Church, he will only be satisfied when he\nawakes in the likeness of Christ! \n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Henry Mahan<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Display of Works<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026all who know Christ, in the experience of grace, are justified\nby the display of good works before men (James 2:14-26). Yes, there is a sense\nin which we are justified by works, not before God, but before men. We justify\nour profession of faith in Christ by our works. Believers do not show their\nfaith by creeds, confessions, and catechisms, but by their conduct. This is\nwhat the Holy Spirit teaches us in James 2:14-26.<\/p>\n\n\n\n James and Paul are not opposed to each other. In Romans Paul\nshows us the accomplishment of justification. James shows us the evidence of\njustification. If a person is a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, he will\njustify his faith and prove its reality by works of righteous obedience to God,\neven as Abraham did. Any faith that does not produce obedience to God is a\nfalse faith, a demonic delusion. It is not the faith of God’s elect. Free grace\nis not opposed to good works. Free grace promotes good works (Tit. 3:4-8, 14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n What are those works that justify our professed faith before\nmen? What are those works that prove the reality of our profession? The Holy\nSpirit describes them in the Book of James in a fourfold manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Good works are works of patient submission to the will of God\n(James 1:2-3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Good works are works of genuine love toward the people of God\n(James 2:15-16). If we love each other, we bear one another’s burdens, weep\nwith those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. We provide for, care\nfor, protect, and forgive those who are the objects of our love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Good works are works of faithful obedience to the Word of God\n(James 2:21-23). Believers bow to the will of God in providence and obey the\nrevealed will of God in Scripture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Good works are works of self-denial and sacrifice for the\nglory of God (James 2:23-25).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every believer is eternally justified in the purpose of God by\nthe decree of God the Father. All of God’s elect were fully justified in time\nat Calvary by the death of God the Son. Every believer receives complete\njustification by faith in Christ, in the experience of grace, by the\ndeclaration of God the Holy Spirit in conversion. Every true believer is\njustified before men by the display of good works. Our justification is an\neternal act of God, accomplished at Calvary, received by faith, and proved by\nworks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don Fortner<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Gospel crucible!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (John MacDuff<\/a>,\n“Ripples in the Twilight” 1885)<\/p>\n\n\n\n “<\/strong> <\/sup><\/strong>For the preaching of the\ncross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the\npower of God.<\/strong>” 1 Corinthians 1:18<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It will never cease to be one of the marvels of Christianity,\nthat her antidotes <\/em>are the same in every climate, every age,\nand every bosom. Just as the chemist can infallibly pronounce on the action of\nthe various elements he throws into his crucible \u2014 so in the Gospel\ncrucible<\/strong>, cast the human heart in its every form and type, that of . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n the degraded African,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the superstitious Hindu,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the ferocious Arab,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the reprobate European \u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n the Gospel of Christ, by a heavenly alchemy<\/em>, melts\nthat heart! It dissolves . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n the pride of reason,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the power of superstition,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the curse and misery of vice!<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is the only universal balm!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n It was tried . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n on ignorant fishermen <\/em>of Galilee,<\/p>\n\n\n\n on poor wayside beggars <\/em>of Judea,<\/p>\n\n\n\n on hardened Roman soldiers<\/em> and<\/p>\n\n\n\n on crouching slaves of sin and Satan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was tried on the great persecutor of the church \u2014 and by him\non the disciples of Plato on Mars Hill. It was tried amid the tears of Bethany\n\u2014 and amid the courtly splendour and uncongenial influences of Caesar’s\nhousehold. And in not one of all these varied cases, has it failed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The king <\/em>clothed in ermine,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the pauper <\/em>clothed in rags,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the statesman <\/em>in his senate-house,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the merchant <\/em>at his desk,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the artisan <\/em>in his workshop,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the cottager <\/em>at her wheel \u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n all feel the power of the same Gospel, all own the beauteous\nsimplicity of the same healing words, “Believe on the Lord Jesus\nChrist \u2014 and you shall be saved!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n